Three times a lady (NZ)

A big rattle at the last fence didn't stop Katie McVean winning her third Lady Rider of the Year title at the 2012 New Zealand Horse of the Year Show in Hastings today (Thursday).

The 25-year-old Olympian had two horses through to the seven-strong jump-off. It was a classy 43 combinations that rode the first round but very few managed to go inside a tight time over the Leopoldo Palacios (Venezuela) designed course.

Clear rounds were scant, so those through to the jump-off deserved the honour.

McVean and her imported chestnut mare Zimorena were first out and simply flew around. A big gallop into the last was beautifully judged and while the fence took a bit of a whack, it stayed in place, with the combination stopping the clock at a speedy 42.54.

Next out was Rosie Commons (Auckland) and her pretty grey Glenara Chandon who shifted up a gear mid way through the course and came home in 43.84.

Australian visitor Evie Buller and Yalambi's Landor were also clear in a steady looking 45.25 round, with Claire Wilson (Waipukurau) and Tipsey throwing everything at it only to take the last fence and finish on four faults in 42.66.

Carissa McGregor (Christchurch) and Chatterton had some big air over most of the jumps but came unstuck at a chequered upright leaving them with four faults in 47.44. Kim Best (Otane) and Giggles looked on track for a good time until that same chequered fence, which put them off stride for the next jump leaving them on eight faults in 47.86.

Last to go was McVean and the lovely grey Dunstan Zasjany D who left everything up in 47.08 to claim fourth spot.

“I thought if I tried to go flat out I would do something stupid,”said McVean, who previous won the title in 2007 with Dunstan Hairy McClairy and 2010 with Dunstan Daffodil.

Both Zasjany and Zimorena are co-owned by McVean with Theo Griffin and Henk Smit, and were imported from Holland.

Zimorena was a late starter in the world of showjumping, having been broken in as a five-year-old on her arrival in New Zealand.

“She's good if I can keep her rolling on but she is green at this level,”she said.

McVean says she expected the Palacios course to be tight on time.

“I have ridden his courses here and at Spruce Meadows (in Canada) so am used to them. He makes us turn tighter, which is good for us to be challenged like that.”

McVean says her heart stopped when the last fence rattled and had to turn and check it had stayed in place.

The eight-year-olds have now finished the main of their show, leaving the 'big' stuff up to Daffodil, who will start in the $50,000 Silver Fern Stakes and the $200,000 Olympic Cup.

“It's all up to her now!”

The Horse of the Year Show continues through to Sunday when the Olympic Cup will be presented to the showjumper of the year. Australia and New Zealand go head to head on Friday night in the second of a two test Trans Tasman Series.